A NUMBER of concerned residents are urging Alton Town Council to "think again" following what they believe to be a "flawed decision" to release land for the relocation of sporting facilities from the Coors Sports Ground. Members of the Anstey Park Casual Users and Manor Estate Residents' Group are questioning the decision, made during a public meeting on August 30, to release land on the Diggers extension at Anstey Park for the relocation of Alton Town Football Club (ATFC), and land at Chawton Park Road to house Alton Social Bowls Club. The decision included the construction by Coors of an artificial turf pitch (ATP), possibly on land at Eggar's School, to compensate for the resulting loss of public open space. But since the meeting, it has been confirmed by Coors agents, Atisreal, that there would be no money to build an ATP on land that is not owned by the town council. And according to Atisreal Development consultant Debbie Taylor, the value of any relocation package would be dependent on the level of development allowed by East Hampshire planners on the Coors Sports Ground site - a site the international brewing giant wants to sell off for housing. In a letter sent this week to Alton Town Mayor Dave Crocker, users' group chairman Margaret Lockett points out that the decision by Coors not to provide an ATP on the Eggar's site has raised a number of concerns that members believe the council must now consider. "If Coors is allowed to build a football stadium on Anstey Park without providing an artificial pitch, then the only beneficiaries will be Alton Town Football Club. The people of Alton will lose open space much used and much- cherished by the people of the town. The whole of the park will be affected and there has to be a question as to whether the re- siting of the football club alone justifies the construction of a road across the main park," writes Mrs Lockett. "The loss of Diggers was justified by the claim that Coors had offered to build facilities worth £5.25 million. There is now doubt as to whether this was ever the case," she added. With the sum dependent on the income generated from the sale of the land, the group feels there is no guarantee that Coors will build a ground to the standard that is needed for ATFC to compete in the Wessex League. "As a group we supported the full investigation of all of the land options put forward, but this does not seem to have been undertaken. There are other options and we would urge the council to consider them fully as a matter of urgency," stressed Mrs Lockett. The group, which has now vowed to fight any development on Diggers though the planning process, is angry with Coors for not being open with the community about the ATP which, if not built, would save the company a large amount of money. Mrs Lockett told The Herald: "The group was not thrilled by Alton Town Council's decision and we would like them to reconsider it. We are not going to take this lying down." l ATFC chairman, Jim McKell, has made clear that a notice at Coors Sports Ground, stating that Alton Sports and Social Club will be active on site until 2009 , is not linked to the sports relocation proposals.